


My Fault

by dnawhite76, Prubbs



Series: Cross Checked [2]
Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Cross Checked Series, M/M, Soul Bond
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-02
Updated: 2015-08-02
Packaged: 2018-04-12 14:52:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,250
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4483568
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dnawhite76/pseuds/dnawhite76, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Prubbs/pseuds/Prubbs
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Struggling through a one sided bond, Sidney is face with an internal battle trying to decide weather or not he should tell Geno they are soulmates. Would he even believe him?</p>
            </blockquote>





	My Fault

**Author's Note:**

> Check out the first story in the series, 'Stars at Night'.  
> http://archiveofourown.org/works/3809083

The couch was frowning at him. It's lumpy cushions tilting down in what could only be a judgmental frown. He had walked in and out of the living room three times trying to figure out what it was that he was forgetting. He hadn't been able to shake the feeling that he was forgetting something for over a year now. It came and went at random intervals. Sometimes he'd almost remember, he could feel it there tugging at the corners of his mind, but it would slip away before he could figure out what it was that was so important. He sighed and grabbed his duffle bag. It was no use. He wouldn't remember.

The only time the feeling went away was on the ice. Everything had been going great. Sid was back, the team was doing well, he was doing... ok if he was being honest. The feeling that he was forgetting something went away, but it left him with an empty feeling instead. Being on the ice tended to distract him enough that he could ignore it, but occasionally he lost focus and drifted into the void. A bump from Lazy tended to bring him back quick enough and they were over the boards, focused on the game. Then Nealsy got traded, the team changed, and he was left feeling lost for not the first time since he turned 18. It was almost worse this time. He felt alone. He hadn't ever felt alone, even on the flight to Pittsburgh after he finally managed to get free, leaving his family behind.

"G?" He looked up and blinked. "You ok?" 

He nodded and smiled at Sid. "Distract." He waved his hand around his head for a few seconds. Sid laughed softly before nodding and heading over to his own locker. He focused on changing and not on the swirling thoughts that stayed just out of reach. He wanted to grab them and pull them in, demand to know what he'd been missing for all this time, but he couldn't. He let it go and pulled on an old shirt. Sid watched him as he packed up and left, but that wasn't strange. Sid watched anyone visibly upset. The sad look on his face was a little strange.  
\- -  
Sid didn't feel the bond until it broke. He felt the hit and took a knee and then another, picking himself up on his elbows as his fingertips tried to hold onto the world that was falling down around him. 

Sidney had been hit like this before, but this time it was harder. Heavier. Fuller. And he knew that something was wrong when they helped him off the ice but he would never have guessed what it really was until they got him to the hospital. "What do you mean?" He asked feeling stupid. Everything seemed to be processing slowly after the concussion set in.  
The doctor was patient though; he didn't seem to mind explaining things to him again. He held on his never changing mask of calm and said more slowly. "Your bond. When you were hit, your bond was broken." 

Sid frown at him. He looked over at Mike whose frown carved deep grooves onto his forehead and seemed to be avoiding his gaze. It wasn't possible. "I'm not bonded." He told the doctor and the man just nodded at him patting his shoulder with a pity he didn't want or think he deserved.

"Just rest." He told him. They all told him. Constantly and without mercy asking an Olympic athlete to just lay around and not to anything. He couldn't read, he couldn't watch tv, he couldn't do anything without someone watching him to make sure he wouldn't kneel over at any minute. So he would lay there and feel it. Growing more with each day that he got better, he could feel himself healing around what was torn out of him and slowly, little by little, he could feel the hole forming, having no idea what he was missing until Geno showed up at his door. 

He knew it from the moment he saw him, standing in his doorway with a big dopey grin like just the sight of Sid standing on his own was the best things he'd seen all year. And that was it. He felt it. The bond, now broken, responding and reaching out to its partner, diving into him with no response, no recognition. Just hopeful, happy beautiful thoughts that didn't know they were supposed to miss him. 

He wished the hit had killed him.  
\- -  
He popped a suppressor after practice. He'd had one after his morning workout but he noticed that they tended to burn off too fast when he took them before a run. He was hearing Geno again, feeling his emptiness and aching wishing more than anything that he could just tell him what had happened but everyone seemed to be mostly on the same page about that. It was better if he didn't know. He would stop missing him eventually if he didn't figure out what he'd lost. It was better. Sid knew it was better. But it didn't make any of this any easier on either of them. "You alright there Crosby?" Fleury asked grabbing his bag.

Sid shrugged, "Never better." He told him hating a little how easy it had become to lie.  
\- -  
He wasn't surprised when Jamie called him. Honestly he thought that it was going to happen sooner, the way they were constantly moving unconsciously around each other- it was like they men trapped in a never ending game of 'don't not be around me' tag. He hated himself for being jealous but he managed to measure his fellow Captain without bringing up the wounds that he was still licking. He hung up with Jamie wondering how common it was to have players bond. But again he pushed that off before it got too painful.  
\- -  
Sid could tell that Geno was distracted before they left the locker room so he caught his arm before they stepped out. "Hey," he they watched the other guys file out and then he continued. "You seem off. What's going on?"

He instantly relaxed as Sid grabbed him. Something inside Geno settling once again. He shrugged. "Tired." He didn't know how else to explain what was going on. He couldn't even explain it to himself. 

He could see the emotions race across Sid's face. "You want to get something to eat?" Lately it had been rare that they went out together. Sid was just distant when away from the rink. He wasn't even sure the captain noticed the change. 

"Ok," he said with a nod.

They were shoved together at the counter of a diner. Lunch rush eliminating any opportunity for space. Sid kept bumping him as he talked about Taylor. He laughed as he caught his cup, barely saving it from a stray elbow. Sid stared for a second. He didn't stop smiling for the rest of the meal he realized when his cheeks ached as they walked back to the car. "You seem happier?" 

Geno nodded. "Is good being with Sid." He said bumping elbows. "Long time since just us." Sid's smile didn't reach his eyes. He almost asked. He got that smile so often. "Come over?" He offered. 

"I have something to do. Another time?" 

He shrugged. "Ok."  
\- -  
The feeling came back while he was making dinner. Geno stared at his pantry. All of the spices sitting in their bottles staring blankly back at him. He slammed the door as the peace he'd been riding since lunch crashed. He went through the motions of cooking, but barely ate the plate he'd created.  
\- -  
The team was out, celebrating Fleury's third shutout of the season. The goalie had roped Sid into joining him in a shot battle. He wasn't sure who they were battling, but Sid was losing. He hadn't stopped giggling in half an hour. Geno was having his own battle with Tanger. Spouting innocent words in their respective tongues and making them sound as dirty as possible. Sid was dumped against his side halfway through him talking about a toilet. Tanger laughed as Sid curled up and tucked his head against Geno. "You ok there Mon Capitan?" He rolled his eyes. Sid nodded against his shoulder. They ignored the lush and went back to their game. 

"Someone should get him home." He looked down and Sid was drooling on his sleeve. He didn't mind. He was having fun, but he doubted Sid would like it if someone took a picture of him like this and the longer he stayed the more likely. 

It took both him and Tanger to get Sid to the taxi. "I take." He offered when Tanger looked back to the bar door.

Sid slept the entire drive back to his house. He woke up enough for Geno to get him up to the door. "Keys?" Sid looked up at him stupid smile on his face. "Keys." He repeated back to him. "Sid. Keys." The center blinked and pulled his keys out of his pocket. He guided Sid through the kitchen, collecting a glass of water before heading upstairs at a truly sluggish pace. 

Sid leaned against his bedroom door, woken up enough to be frowning. "I'm good." He insisted. 

"Ok. See tomorrow?" Sid nodded. Then stared at his lips. He watched Sid stared then shake himself of whatever thought he had. 

He handed him the water. "Drink. Sleep. Call you early." Sid groaned.  
\- -  
He felt like shit. He'd been playing like shit. At least he thought so. No one else seemed to notice anything wrong. He just didn't feel like he was connecting. He stretched out his sore muscles, trying not to let himself onto the bike. He hated it, but it was the easiest thing to work his frustrations out on, but he knew he would hate himself for it later if he got on. He pulled up from a stretch Kadar had shown him and caught Sid staring again. The tape in his hand hanging off one finger. 

A second later he was back to rolling the tape. But he'd seen it. Again. Now that he had something to look for he was noticing it more and more. He smiled to himself as he folded back into the pose.  
\- -  
This was the worst time. He knew it was. But he wanted to go into the game excited to continue their streak, not hollow like he did so often. It was just them, the rest of the team filing out into Madison Square Garden. They were standing side by side, waiting to go out. Sid moved forward to tap their helmets and he ducked, fitting his lips against Sid's for the briefest of moments. He smiled at the dazed look on Sid's face. "For luck." And ducked out before he had a moment to answer.

With each goal that went unanswered Sid got tenser and tenser. He fingered at his necklace twice before diving over the boards. Geno felt his own frustration building each time he sat back on the bench and their score stayed at zero. He let out a grumble of Russian after another shot was blocked. Sidney looked at him sharply then away. He kept his eyes on the game and let his anger simmer. He'd gotten better at staying under control.  
\- -  
He wasn't sure who had convinced everyone to go out after the loss, but everyone was crowded into booths and shots of every liquor under the roof were laid out. He had just taken his fourth shot since they walked in less than half an hour ago when he saw Sidney. He looked at his lips for a second before frowning and looking away.  
He was moving through the crowd of teammates before he'd even put the shot glass down. It clattered to the floor. He walked up to where Sid and Ranger were talking. "I borrow." He bullied Sid into walking toward the back.

"Geno. I-" he shut the center up the only way he wanted to in that moment. Sid gasped against his mouth and he pulled him closer. "Bad time before. Better now." He kissed him again with a smile. Sid looked up at him. He ducked and pressed their foreheads together. "Change routine. This works." Someone walked by them and did a double take. "We win the next. Kiss you again." He straightened back up, feeling light headed. Feeling like himself for the first time in a long time.  
\- -  
The loss was on him. He felt the weight heavy on his back as the skated off the ice wanting nothing more than to hide in the dressing room for the rest of the night. But soon the reporters were on him. Asking Sid why and how and what had happened out there. He was positive that they could see him thinking, scrambling to cover up the truth that every time he got close to the goal he would let his guard down a little too much and get flooded with a not so unwanted burst of Geno before he soul get knocked back into the boards. Sidney's concentration had been shit. Geno had ruined his pregame routine. They lost the game. And Sidney just didn't know how to say that he didn't care without the whole world finding out that he was completely in love with his right wing.

So he went out because he couldn't fathom sleeping after that shit game and Geno's good luck kiss. He didn't drink much, just sat at the bar talking to the occasional teammate that would slump their way over to him in need of a pep talk. 

He refused to look at Geno even when he knew he was looking at him. He'd taken as many repressors as he could and he could still feel the little buzz that let him know Geno was thinking about him and it still hurt. Even if confusion was now poured on top of that. So it surprised him when Geno pulled him away from Ranger. It surprised him even more when Geno kissed him again, this time completely unrushed but just as hungry. His felt dizzy. He heard Geno talking but only managed to catch the words "win," and "kiss again." Sidney watched as he walked off only stirred when a younger girl ran up to him slurring for a picture.

He had to win. He knew that he should talk to someone about all of the things that were going on but he didn’t really want to talk to his friends about it. He should have told Fleury. Or Jamie. He could have called Johnny if he wanted to, but they had their own problems and Sid’s thing wasn't even really a problem. 

Yet. It would be, probably, when he wasn’t adrenalin of the challenge that Geno had bestowed on him. He wanted to win more than he thought that he ever had. He was at the gym before practice every morning and he was the first one to the practice rink. By the time that the next game rolled around he was positive they were going to win. Sidney would make it happen. He took his repressors and he taped his stick not allowing himself to look at Geno. First he needed a win.

They won. The team had seemed to sense that he needed this win and they connected like dots on the ice. He could have kissed Duper. But he was saving that. His eyes locked with Geno as he pulled off his pads and the Russian grinned at him before the reporters pulled him back into their questions trying not to smile too much.  
\- -  
The team went out again. Sidney had wanted to say no but he knew that the team wanted to celebrate and he had to admit that it did feel appropriate. He took the shots that were given to him and the guys dispersed around the bar, heckling each other and toasting to the start of a new streak. 

Sidney was feeling a little blurry but nice when Geno dropped into the booth next to him. The bar was crowded but people were too busy to notice them in the dark corner when Geno ducked his head to fit his lips into Sid’s. "Geno. What is this?" He asked when they pulled apart.

The Russian shrugged with his goofy grin. "Is tradition." He told him. "For good game." He said before Duper found them and demanded they do more shots.  
\- -  
Geno barely managed to keep his hands to himself. The cab driver had done a double take when Sid had collapsed into the back only to laugh and flop against the opposite door. He climbed in after him with a sigh. He wasn't sure if either of them had said their goodbyes to the team. He'd been sipping on a beer trying to calm down a little, knowing they had an early flight out when Sid nipped his ear. "Kiss me again." Sid bit his lip when he looked over at him. 

"Not here." They were in the cab five minutes later. 

He let Sid lean against him as they rode up the elevator after he poked the floor number and giggled. "What funny?" He asked nose pressed into Sid's still somehow damp hair. 

"Just happy," Sid sighed. 

Geno closed his eyes. "Yeah," he breathed feeling the same way. Sid was solid against him and he couldn't think of a place he wanted to be more. The elevator dinged and they straightened before heading down the hall. Sid leaned against the door jam as he searched for his key card, watching his hands with a small smile. "How drunk are you?" He asked, before turning the knob. 

Sid frowned. "I know what I'm doing." As soon as the door opened Sid seemed to want to prove that true. He raised his arms enough for Sid to get his shirt off when he tugged at it. He threw it away with a glare. 

"What shirt do to you?" Sid laughed and shoved him back without an answer. He stumbled over his bag and flopped onto the bed. Sid was on him as soon as he settled. There was desperation to the kiss that made him uneasy. He softened the kiss pulling Sid closer, managing to earn a groan. The desperation settled into a steady rhythm. 

"Too drunk," Sid said a slight whine to his voice when he snuck his hands into the back of his pants. 

"This good," he said licking across the mark he'd left on Sids collarbone. Sid ground against him and sighed. "Best." 

Geno woke up alone. He frowned as his stomach twisted. The other side of the bed was still warm and he rolled into it. His alarm went off again and he shut it off before climbing out of bed. He had a mark high on his neck just below his ear. He rubbed it with a grin.  
\- -  
Back in Pittsburgh he watched the guys chirp Sid and the bruises dotting his collarbone. Sid glanced over at him with a smile and he smiled back. "Win again." Sid nodded and turned. It was rough, but they won. He rode the high of his two point night along with the guys. 

An hour into their celebration he realized Sid hadn't come with them. The empty feeling crept in. The blonde sitting in his lap giggled and bit her lip. He took her home. He'd been happy, laughing easily just standing in an elevator the night before and now thrusting deep into a beautiful girl he felt empty. She wiggled until he flipped them. Her fingers dug into his shoulder as she rode him, gasping silently as she came. She kept moving until he came feeling sick. 

She didn't stay. Didn't leave her number. He felt bad, but she pecked him on his chin and mumbled a 'this was fun' before leaving. He dreamt of Sidney, not for the first time if he was being honest. He woke up feeling more tired than when he'd fallen asleep.  
\- -  
Sid chickened out. He could feel the way that Geno had been looking at him. He could hear it in his thoughts as he went for the shoot out with everything that he had. Everything that Sid had dropped, he picked back up and he did it for Sidney. 

Because he wanted Sidney. And Sid couldn't handle it. 

He took the repressors. He stayed in. He tried not to think about Geno. He failed miserably.  
\- -  
The seminar had been Sid’s idea, he was surprised when Jamie decided to tag along. He'd invited him back when him and Tyler first started having problems, but he'd seemed so hesitant that he wasn't sure he'd show up until he wound up at his door. Jamie tapped his foot the through the entire opening talk, so much so that Sid had to sit on his hands to keep from holding him down. And when they split into groups he had been so concerned about how Jamie was doing in his group that he jumped a little when his own turned their attention in him. "Hey, aren't you Sidn-" 

"No." He cut the man off with an easy lie making up a fake name that he wouldn't bother to remember later. The last thing that he needed was for the press to figure out he was here, or worse, Geno asking why he'd been there. He didn't think he would be able to deal with the way he looked at him with those droopy, dorky, brown eyes that always trusted him so completely. If he would be able to look straight at him and lie to him about why he'd been there, why he hadn't gone out with the team. Nope. He told the strangers in his group instead. All about the fall out of context and all about the love he felt for his best friend because it was easier. And easier felt almost painless.  
\- -  
Geno showed up though because he always did. Filling in all of the spaces that he almost forgot were empty until he was there to fix it. He had felt him coming before he reached the door, dropping the pan full of eggs he'd made on the floor right before his doorbell rang. "You okay?" Jamie asked.

He shook his head, pulling out too repressors and swallowing them dry before picking up the pan. "It's Geno." He told him looking dismayed at the lost eggs. He motioned at them moving toward the door, "Would you?" He asked and Jamie nodded shooing him towards the door. 

Geno was on him before he got the chance to say hello, kissing him back through the entry way and into the wall. "Where you go?" He asked him barely pulling away from him.

Sid breathed, "Benn is in the kitchen," hand still clutched to the front of Geno's shirt. Geno grinned and gave him another quick kiss before making his way to the kitchen and booming out a welcome as Sid tried to compose himself enough to follow after him.

Geno watched them interact quietly with a grin. Sid was pointedly not looking at him. Geno couldn't stop staring. Jamie seemed to pick up on that, but didn't say anything. "Team do good. Seguin." He made a hand motion to mean goals and Sid grinned at his plate. 

Jamie frowned before nodding. "Yeah. It's strange not being on his line." 

He nodded. "Strange not playing with Sid. Get used to it. Be ok." Sid was looking at him, but his eyes darted away when he realized he'd noticed. "Captain keep first line. It in rulebook?" He asked with a grin. 

It was a constant chirp for Sid. "Hey. I let you have-" 

He pointed to Sid. "Let me have? Captain let me have." 

Jamie chuckled at Sid's indignant face. "Shut up," be finally muttered letting the argument go. 

"It ok. Sid best. Get first pick." Sid smiled at his eggs. Silence stretched. He didn't really feel like talking about the Olympics and that was all he really knew about the winger. "You bond!" He shouted. Everyone at the table seemed startled by his outburst and honestly he was a little surprised too. It had suddenly popped in his head and he couldn't stand the quiet. 

Jamie swallowed carefully and nodded. "Yeah. This summer." He glanced at Sid. 

"Been going good?" He didn't really know how to continue the conversation and from the looks of it the other two didn't want it to continue. 

"It's taking some adjustment." He nodded at the media sound bite. "Like any change does." 

He grinned. "Bond change everything. Mama say whole world better. Harder but better." He looked up from where he'd been struggling to get a piece of egg onto his fork as he talked. 

"Harder." Jamie mumbled. He looked to Sid to see what he'd said wrong, but Sid was standing. 

"I have to go to the restroom." He walked off, looking like he was close to running. 

Sid was distant after that. Their bet seemed to be a thing of the past. He'd grinned at Sid once at a bar after a win and Sid had left before he could even shift over to make room for him at the table. It only took a week for Geno to snap. He'd had a headache for the entire week, nothing had helped and he was irritated at everything. They'd lost. He was fuming. Everyone was giving him a wide berth in the locker room. He showered and got dressed without saying a word to anyone. 

Sid was checking up on everyone, it hadn't been a bad loss, but the whole team seemed to be taking it hard. Sometimes that happened. There were days when he'd played great according to his starts, the team had won and he still felt like shit after. Today was definitely one of those days where he knew why he felt awful. He hadn't even gotten a single shot on goal. He didn't feel like he did acting but skate around. "Good game, Geno," Sid offered. 

He scoffed. "Terrible game, but you too far away to notice," he grumbled, grabbing his bag and heading out. 

He felt snappy. He was sorry with just about everyone. He was pretty sure he'd made a cashier cry. Sid stopped him after one practice looking like he didn't want to be there, didn't want to be having the conversation. That definitely made two of them. He wanted a long nap. Asleep seemed to help his headaches if he could manage to fall asleep. He bit his lip. "You don't have to say anything. You think mistake. I agree. We go back. I be fine once head stop hurting." Sid stared. "That what you want to say?" He asked rubbing his temples.

Sidney just frown at him. A headache seemed stupid seeing as he always had one. But his was from the bond. The break. Sid would probably always have them but he had no idea that Geno did, if that was what this was. But even just the idea of it had his heart leap onto his throat. "Oh." He nodded feeling the determination that he usually only kept for the ice creep up his spine. "That's not what I was going to say." He muttered and turned to his cubby. He pulled out two suppressors and handed them to Geno who took them with a raised brow. "Advil." He told him with a small smile that was easily wiped off after a long moment of them staring at each other. Sid was the first to break it. "Okay," he moved past him and pat his shoulder, "Get some rest. It'll do you good." He turned around when he was walking through the door, "See you tomorrow." He told him and backed out.  
\- -  
"Haven't seen you in a while." The team therapist looked him up and down with maybe a little bit of a relieved look on his face when he saw that he was mostly okay. Sidney couldn't blame him. The last time he had been in he had been such a mess from the bond withdraws and headaches that he had barely managed to put his clothes on. Sid nodded and took a seat across from him. "How are things?" He asked. 

"Better." He told him.

The man nodded. "What brings you here?" He asked.

Sid pursed his lips. " Actually its not about me." He admitted. 

"No?" 

Sid shook his head, "Geno is having headaches." He told him. 

The man understood. "How often?" 

"Constantly." He frown. "I'm not sure if its bond withdrawals or not but maybe you should talk to him?" He was probably crossing a line but he knew how much those could hurt and he needed to do something. 

The therapist nodded. "I'll try and set up an appointment."  
\- -  
Geno stared at the strange skull sitting just behind the doctor's head. He couldn’t take his eyes off it and he wasn’t sure why. "Geno," he blinked and looked back to the grey eyes searching his face. He wasn't sure why he was there. He'd gotten the request and had been meaning to ignore it, but the next day he'd been pulled from practice after skating into the boards. "How are you doing this season?" He shrugged. "I know we didn't get to know each other earlier, but you can talk to me." He nodded, the skull pulling his attention again. "How has it been at home?" 

He blinked and flicked his eyes to the man. "It is fine." 

The man hummed. "Even after the Olympics?" 

He glared at the skull. "Yes. Fine." His attention drifted.

"The stress isn't too much?" 

He shook his head. "Stress is the same." 

The doctor nodded. "Will you do a couple exercises with me? I just want to show you a couple things that could help if a moment gets to be too much." He shrugged. "Ok. Close your eyes." He did. "Take a deep breath and imagine you're at home." He made a face, but kept his eyes closed. "Ok?" He nodded after picturing his house. "How many rooms does your house have?" 

He paused. "8. No. 7." The doctor was writing something down. 

He could hear the scratches of the pen. "Ok. Now imagine all of your friends and family, your whole life is in that house." He watched as the rooms filled. He frowned as the room closest to him stayed empty. He said as much. "Oh!" He opened his eyes. The doctor looked startled. "Umm. That's good. If the stress ever gets too much, just go into that room." 

He raised an eyebrow. "Ok." He closed his eyes and the house filled quickly. 

"How many rooms are there now?" 

He rolled his eyes. "8."

The doctor hummed. "Ok. I don't want to take up any more of your time. I'm going to ask that you come in in a couple weeks. I want to check in with you. You don't have to, but I'd prefer it I you did." 

He nodded. "Thank you." He didn't bolt from the room, that would be rude, but he walked as quickly as possible.  
\- -  
"What did you do today?" Sid had shown up with cartons of his favorite Thai food and a smile. He couldn't turn him away even if he kind of wanted to. 

"Practice and doctor." He shrugged. 

Sid was quiet as he ate a few bites. "What'd you talk about?" 

He chuckled. "Rooms in houses." 

Sid didn't laugh. "Really?" 

He nodded. "He had me picture house. 8 rooms. Filled with people." He winced as he got a particularly spicy bite. 

"8 is a lot of rooms." 

He shrugged. "A lot of people." He grinned. "How many rooms Sid have? 87?" 

Sid laughed drily. "No, just 8." 

He smiled. "Best houses!" Sid nodded and smiled at his fork as he took a bite.  
\- -  
Geno watched as the season stumbled along. He met with the doctor every week. His headaches stopped as they talked. "Why do you keep that door open?" 

He shrugged. "Is empty. Why shut?" They'd been going over his house for the last hour. Talking about stress and locking it away. His headache went away as he shut the doors. 

"Let's shut it." 

He opened his eyes. "Why?" 

The doctor was watching him. "Just try it." He closed his eyes and turned to the empty room. "Did you close it?" 

He stared at the empty room. "Yes." The door stayed open as they talked. He couldn't close it. Didn't want to.  
\- -  
Christmas came with a string of losses. Sasha gloated lightly over text as they were shut out. He sent him a fuck off and enough emoticons for him to know he was joking. They dropped another. There was the normal buzz of the new year approaching. He could feel it growing. Winning the last game of the year was enough that everyone seemed excited for the team party. 

He watched his friends from the doorway as they kicked a ball around. It was late, but they were all still full of energy. He laughed when Beau missed the ball and sprawled dramatically to the ground. He heard Sid's laugh and turned to find its owner sitting on the arm of the couch talking with a few strange faces. "Five minutes!" Someone called. People started drifting toward the doors. The fireworks were getting pulled out and he was concerned by the glee on Flower's face as he raced by with an arm full of rockets.  
Sid bumped him as he passed. He felt his smile go goofy. Sid smiled back, but followed the group out into the yard. He watched the families swirling sparklers and couples pairing off. A few of the guys were still kicking the ball around. His smile dropped off. He tugged on Sid's elbow as the minute mark hit. The led him closer to the house, away from the group. "You ok?" Sid asked. 

He nodded. He stared at his hands and Sid's as he focused. "Old saying. Spend your new year like you want spend the whole year." Sid looked confused. "Spend whole year winning. With you." The countdown started, but he couldn't wait. He leant down, guiding Sidney's lips to his. The whole yard shouted happy new year as they parted. 

Sid's fingers dug into his ribs as he caught his breath. "Geno." He knew that tone. It was the same one Sid used when Geno ordered an extra dessert and Sid was trying to say no even as he picked up the spoon. 

"Want this," he said, cutting off whatever Sid had started to say. "Why?" He was surprised by the question that felt like a demand. "I'm happy." Sid made him happy. Even when he was whining and being a dick. He couldn't stop how much lighter he felt when Sid was around. 

'Sid best.' the little thought played across their ghost connection that was Sid’s burden to bear alone, proving the truth in his words and making Sid ache in an all too familiar way that was almost too much for him to breathe through. So he ducked, forehead resting on Geno's shoulder while he tried to swallow through the knot in his throat until he could mutter back, "Me too."  
\- -  
He didn't talk to his therapist about what being with Geno was going to be like because he didn't want him to tell him that it was a bad idea. Sid knew logically that it probably wasn't the smartest thing. That one of them was bound to get hurt and from past experience, it would probably most likely be him. He knew that, he accepted it, he held Geno's hand anyway. 

At first he hadn't known if that was what Geno wanted. Yeah, he told Sidney he made him happy, yes he had kissed him and said he wanted to spend his year with him- but when he asked if he wanted to go see some ridiculous slasher movie Sid had no idea if it was meant to be a date or not. "It's a date." Johnny told him through the monitor when he finally gave up on the mental exertion that it was taking him to figure it out alone and Skyped him. 

"You're sure?" he asked not really buying it. 

Toews shrugged, "I know I'm not exactly warm and fuzzy or good at this stuff but when a guy kisses you and tells you he wants you, that means he's going to ask you out." 

"Word." Kane said from somewhere off screen and the man in front of it shot him a look of almost disgust. 

"Did you really just say word?" 

"Word." Kane said again with a little bit of a laugh and Johnny threw a pillow at him before turning back to Sid. 

"My loser agrees." he told him and the pillow flew back from off screen and hit him in the face, having him smile despite himself. 

"But what if it isn't?" Sid asked, not really feeling panicked. He just didn't want to assume anything. If he let himself get too excited it would hurt too much when this didn't pan out like he wanted it too. He had waited for two years, if he had to, he'd wait a million more- there was no need to rush Geno into something he didn't think he wanted until he knew he did. But maybe he did. 'Want this.' He was the one who had said that he wanted this. Apparently he had spaced out because he could hear the pair arguing and Kane laughing somewhere off screen but neither off them were in the picture. So he closed his computer and grabbed his jacket, just putting on his pens cap when the knock signaled that Geno was there. 

"Hi." Geno grinned at him making Sid's heart just about leap into his throat. 

"Hey." he said back when he could speak again.

Geno held out his hand, "Leave now or be late." he told him and Sid's smile widened as he pushed their fingers together and locked his door. 

Dating Geno was a lot like not dating Geno had been when he first joined the team. They spent a lot of time together, doing the same nothings they used to do before Sidney had gotten hit except now they sat closer. Every so often, Geno would put his arm around his shoulders, he touched his back when he passed by him, kissed him when they were alone; And in return Sidney smiled bigger when he came into to room, and scratched his scalp after long days. And when they sat together, in practice, at home, at the bar with the guys, their knees were always touching- giving both of them a little silent comfort and reassuring one another that they were there. Being with Geno was easy. Until the bond started catching up to him. 

It wasn't enough to take the repressors anymore, now that Geno was a constant figure in his life, his soul reached out to him automatically, not giving him time to stop it. It felt like he was cheating, like he had an in that Geno didn't get and it made him feel guilty. He wanted to tell Geno about everything that had happened since the hit, since all of it- but he didn't know how to start. He'd tried a few times. The first time Sidney had told him that he wanted to talk about something kind of serious and Geno insisted that talking was no fun and proceeded to kiss the life out of him until he couldn't see which thoughts were his, let alone decipher what he had wanted to say to him. The second time Geno came home looking weird. Sid had made sure to take an extra repressor to be as sealed up as possible when they talked about it but regretted it when he came in looking like something was eating at him. "You okay?" he asked sitting up a little straighter on the couch.

Geno shrugged dropping his bag one of the chairs in the kitchen. "Therapy session made me feel..." he looked up looking for the word he was trying to use, something that Sid thought was the absolute sweetest thing he’d ever seen.

"Bad?" he asked and Geno shrugged. "Commere." he told him patting his lap. Geno sank onto the couch next to him and put his head on his lap with a heavy sigh of content as Sid started rubbing circles into his temples. 

"Sid best." he told him happily in a deep murmur. He fell asleep like that, Sid put off telling him again.  
\- -  
There were rumors. There always were. Geno tried to ignore anything he heard until there were actual statements made and even then if it didn't involve his team he didn't pay attention. Sid didn't seem to have that option. People always wanted Sid’s opinion. 

He watched him from across the locker room as he answered questions about their latest loss. It didn't feel like one, a hard fought stalemate that resulted in a shootout, but the media didn't see it that way. Geno laughed before catching the tail end of a question. "I don't think it's anyone else's business." Sid's tone was dismissing. His laugh died and he suddenly wanted to shove the phone the reporter was holding down his throat. He yanked off the rest of his gear and stormed into the showers. He didn't know why he'd gotten so angry. He hadn't even heard the question, but he could feel the near fury boiling under his skin as he scrubbed across his skin. 

By the end of his shower the anger was gone and he felt hollow. He rubbed his chest as he walked back to his stall. "You ok?" Sid asked just having finished with his scrum. 

"Yeah. Ache." Sid stared at where he was still rubbing before giving him a small frown. 

"You should see a trainer." 

He chuckled. "Is fine. You stink." He pushed Sid toward the showers with a laugh.  
\- -  
Sid laughed as they went through pictures on his phone. He thumbed to the next. Sid leaned back and looked up at him. "Do you miss being home?" 

Geno shrugged. "Miss Pittsburgh when home." Sid smiled and flicked to the next picture. There was a goofy picture with a dog and he spent the next five minutes telling the story until Sid snorted and hid his face in his shirt. "Why you hide?" Sid frowned as he looked up at him blush brushed across his cheeks. Sid chuckled and nodded to the phone.  
Geno changed the picture and frowned before changing it again. "Do you miss her?" Sid was quiet, like he didn't want to ask, but he couldn't miss the chance. 

"Sometimes. Together a long time." Sid shifted like he was going to get up. "Miss. Not want to be with her." He pulled Sid a little closer. "She say I not love her. Not bond. So can't love." He tucked his face against Sid's neck. "I not argue this time." They'd broken up a long time ago, but that argument was still raw in his memory. He changed the picture back. "You see this? We not happy. For years she wonders why." He closed his eyes against the memory. "Why be together when not happy?" Sid hummed. "Happy now." The alarm on Sid's phone chirped into the silence. "Happy to stay in bed all day. Option." He pulled him closer. "Stay here and talk about sad past." 

Sid laughed at the smacking kiss he planted on his temple. "Ok." 

Geno pulled back. "Sid sick?" 

He shook his head. "No. Just happy too."

They did stay in bed all day, but Sid was all about trying to avoid talking too much about his history of exs or really himself at all. He knew that Geno knew he was avoiding something but he didn't push him. He just lay with him and let Sid soak up the sensation of being completely whole. 

Sid knew he should tell him. He knew that he should say something. This was the perfect moment, the right time with an entire day to themselves to just talk and be but he couldn't get it out. He tried. Like he always tried. But he didn't want to ruin this perfect feeling. And what if Geno was mad at him? For not telling him. But even thinking that Sid knew that he wouldn’t be. "G..." his throat felt tight and he had to push past a roughness in his throat to get a hold of the words. This was it. He was going to tell him. His bond was about to be their bond and he had no buffer or warning and Sid wasn't sure how he would react. 

Geno hummed at him, holding him a little tighter. He was feeling Sid's anxiety but wasn't saying anything, just holding him and waiting because he was like that. Because he cared. So Sid chickened out. "I love you." He told him instead, because for some reason that was easier.

Geno’s heart jumped. "What?" He had to have heard that wrong. Suddenly his head was bombarded with a stabbing pain and Sid was curled in on himself making a high pitched keening noise. "Sid?" He struggled to move so he could see Sid's face. 

"What did you do?" Sid whispered the noise finally dying out in a few ragged gasps. 

"I didn't do anything," he said slowly. 

"Call Henry." Sid forced out before covering his face with his hands and shaking. He got up, head swimming and pounding louder and louder before Sid grabbed his arm. "Don't go." 

He touched Sid's hand. "Phone downstairs." Sid whimpered. "Up. I help we call together." It took a lot of work, but they managed to make it down to the kitchen where he'd left his phone after lunch. 

Sid sat heavily on a stool and leaned against him. "Geno. Is everything ok?" 

He looked down at Sid. "No. Everything not ok. Pain. Sid say to call you." He realized as he was talking that it made no sense if Sid was in this much pain to call a therapist, but he was following his captain's lead. 

"Sid is with you?" He nodded out of habit before handing the phone to Sid. 

"No. I don't know." Sid looked up at him. "Might be. I- uh. It was right after I said..." Sid looked down and whispered to his shoulder. He couldn't focus enough past the heavy beat in his head to understand. "G. G!" He shook himself out of the daze and took the phone. 

"Close your eyes." He did and took a breath without the doctor telling him to. "Geno how many rooms do you have?" 

He looked down his long hallway. "Seven." Sidney let out a wrecked noise. "Wait. Why is door closed?" The doctor said some more stuff, but he didn't pay attention. "Why is door closed?" He asked feeling more and more panicked as he tried to open it. 

"Geno you've closed the door before. You don't have to worry about it." 

He shook his head. "No. Not close. Say I did but felt wrong. What is door?!" He yelled into the phone feeling like there was something being hidden from him. 

"It's me." Sid whispered. 

"Sid?" He looked down at Sid eyes wide and staring. 

"Our bond. You rejected the bond." 

Geno closed his eyes dropping the phone as he focused. "No. Not reject. Surprised. Scared. Not reject." He pulled on the door. "Sid. Open the door." Bonds didn't work like this.  
"I can't." 

He banged on the door. "Sid." He begged. 

When he opened his eyes Sid was hugging him as he sat on the ground. "It's ok G. It's ok." 

He pulled him closer. "Not ok. Not ok." He closed his eyes and went searching for Sid. He had to be somewhere.  
\- -  
"It's not broken." The doctor told them when he walked into the exam room they had been waiting in, Geno's head in Sid's lap while he tried still to navigate through the doors in his mind. They didn't say anything. Sid was shocked. He was told that their bond was broken a long time ago, when Geno had started to get suppression headaches he had hoped that they might still have some kind of connection but he didn't really think it had a chance. The doctor kept talking. "Your bond isn't broken yet," he repeated, "What you've done is started the process. It's caused by panic or stress, how you go forward will affect how your bond endures." 

Sid cleared his throat. "But it's not broken?" he asked. 

The doctor gave him a weak little smile. "It's not broken."

They were sent home with a light headache medication but the doctor warned him not to take any repressors. "Your connection is more important than ever now, you have to be open to each other if you want to heal, you can't block each other out." But Sid couldn't feel him. For the first time in two years his head was quiet and he didn't know what to do or say to fix that. 

Geno didn't say anything on the way back to his place but he held onto Sid's hand the entire way home. He held Sid when they got inside, pulling him way too close but Sid didn't mind. "Sorry." he mumbled into the top of his head. 

"It's not your fault." Sid told him. Geno didn't say anything. They just stood there as Sid told him again and again that he hadn't done anything wrong.  
\- -  
"Just relax." He opened his eyes and glared. "Sorry," Sid said. He closed his eyes, but the first thing he saw was the closed door and he felt himself go tense. He breathed out carefully. "G?" 

He rubbed over Sid's knuckles where their fingers were intertwined. "Calm." 

Sid leaned away. "Ok. Now open all your doors. It says if you are holding stress it could be affecting your ability to unblock." He nodded. Sid had found a website on blocking and they were sitting on his bed trying to figure it out. He let out another breath, opening the doors as he went. "Are you stressed?" Sid asked softly. 

He felt the worries ease as they were released. "Everybody stressed." 

Sid's grip tightened. "Want to talk about it?" 

He shrugged. "Sid talk about two years he not tell me?" He frowned. 

"Ok." He opened his eyes to see the melancholy look on Sid's face. 

"Home stress. Not play well." He squeezed Sid's hand when he felt him prepare to dispute that. "Come here and not feel right. Everything different. Not play well." He sighed. "Worry about you." He opened his eyes. "Do you really love me?" 

Sid had been staring at his lap, but looked up at the question. "Yeah." 

He nodded and felt some of the tension he'd been carrying ease. "When we bond?" He asked.

Sid frown. Where was he supposed to start? "Before my concussion." he told him trying to gather all of the things he had been told when he found out. "I didn't know, it was weak then but the doctor told me that it was broken when I got hit." he shrugged looking away from Geno. This was harder than he anticipated. 

Sid’s throat felt thick and he was sure that he was exuding guilt, "I thought about telling you a couple of times but it was... hard. And you had a girlfriend for such a long time, I didn't want to interfere with what you had with her. You were happy and I was happy that you were happy so I just..." he ran his hand down his face and stared at their hands, fingers still twined together. "I was okay with you being happy. I know it's not a good excuse." he blinked up at him. "I just really didn't want to feel all that happiness go away and know that it was because of me."

Geno didn't say anything. Didn't know what to say. He moved next to Sid. "Take a break" Sid made a noise. "Brain still be here when wake up." He pulled Sid down and against him. 

Sid shifted until he got them where he wanted. "Thanks," Sid whispered. He smiled and kissed his hair.  
\- -  
The next morning they watched Sesame street while eating breakfast. Sid honking his laughter as Geno mimicked the Count. "Two hockey players ah ah ah." He smiled at his spoon. 

"Do you think it's strange that there is a vampire on a kids show?" 

He shrugged. "You afraid he suck your blood?" He put down his bowl and raised his arms like he would attack. 

"No. He's a puppet." 

Geno laughed. "No imagination." He pressed a smacking kiss to Sid's neck before the center could stop him. 

"Besides werewolves are better." 

He jerked back. "Since when?! You just like werewolf because you can't grow moustache." 

Sid looked confused for a second. "I don't want to be a werewolf. But they are so much cooler than vampires." 

He rolled his eyes. Sid hooked his ankle over his and smiled as he went back to eating. "Don’t know how feel yet. Less time to think about." Big Bird was talking to someone on the screen and he focused on it.

Sid brushed off the sting of what wasn't said, his mind automatically reaching out to touch Geno like it had for years but there was nothing. He felt so limited and boxed in that he thought he might suffocate being alone with his own thoughts. He had been so stupid to ever think that this could be what he wanted. All of those nights where he told himself that it would all be better if the bind just broke. This was the last thing that Sid wanted. But looking at Geno... he looked so happy. Laughing at kids shows and being to open with Sid he had no choice but to suck it up and smile. "Don't worry about it. We have tons of time." He brushed off quickly and took a bite of his cereal. Tons of time.  
\- -  
They missed the allstar game. He brushed it off on an old injury when they asked but he could see that Geno was getting annoyed with his answer the more he was made to repeat it. "Are you ashamed?" Geno asked. It wasn't accusing, just curious and maybe a little sad. 

Sid shook his head and sat with him on the bench in the dressing room. "We have enough to worry about without the media." He kissed Geno on the temple and got up, extending his hand. "Let's go see a movie tonight." He told him with a hopeful little grin. Everything had been so brash and heavy lately he just wanted to have fun and go out with his boyfriend.  
\- -  
Geno smiled at the look of horror Sid had on his face as he put butter on the popcorn. "You know what that is right?" Sid asked when he held out the bag to him. 

"Is flavor." He stuck a handful in his mouth and grinned when Sid frowned. "Eat your three bags of candy and stop judge my popcorn." 

Sid clutched his candy a little closer. "I couldn't decide." 

He grabbed some napkins. "Expensive date." Sid smiled at him as they headed toward the theater. He followed Sid to a seat as he kept looking back at the window in the back. He didn't say anything just sat next to Sid and ate his popcorn as the preshow ads played. Halfway through the movie Sid stole a piece of popcorn. He watched him make a face and laughed. Sid leaned against him a few minutes later. He threaded their fingers together against his leg, smiling as Sid squeezed his hand.  
\- -  
He watched Sid devour a cheesecake as the all star game played on in the back ground. "I was excited to go this year." Sid mumbled around a mouthful of cake. 

"We could have gone." He pointed out. 

"And let the bond break?" Sid put down the fork. The blissed smile he'd been wearing since they bought the cake to "share" disappeared. 

He turned back to the tv. "Do you want bond? Not tell me about it. Take pills. Want to hide it now." He let out a slow breath. "Believe you love me. But bond so much more." 

Sid had thought about that a lot since he found out that the bond wasn't broken. He thought about how much easier things could be if they just didn't have the bond and how much less he would feel if they decided to let it break. It was easy for Sid to know that he didn't want that. Geno was asking him honestly, not hurt just curious. "I took the pills because I thought it was one sided." Sid told him. "I know I should have told you but I didn't know what I was supposed to say." He shrugged. "I didn't want you to get mad- which yeah, I know is stupid but it felt like I was violating you. ‘Cause I could still hear and feel you but you couldn't hear me, feel me, anything. So I started taking the repressors. A lot. I figured that was the polite thing to do until I could figure out how to tell you that we were soulmates without letting it slip that I was in love with you." He watched Geno who was looking at him curiously. "I still want the bond." He told him. "I want anything you are willing to give me."

"Sid," Geno sighed pulling him into a hug. Sid's arms wrapped tightly around him. The announcers continued on in the background. He didn't want this to change. He knew Sid wouldn't ask for anything so he just had to make sure he never got the chance. 

Sid gasped and pulled back. "You. Geno." 

He grinned feeling the small change in him knowing his walls were dropped. "You. Sid." He mocked back. Sid hit him before pulling him back into a crushing hug. 

\- - -

The crowd was roaring just a few steps away. Sid could feel them, their voices pulsing adrenaline through him. This was it. Game seven of the series. Crunch time was bearing down on them and the odds weren't leaning either way. You could have cut the tension under the stands with a knife. "We've done this before." He told them while they waited, "it's not just another game, but it’s one we know how to play. Think about your passes, don't just throw the puck down the boards. Let's show the Ducks that this year is already over and the cup has already been won." They shouted and shook themselves out, rushing onto the ice on their cue. Sid tried to do the same, shake off his nerves and follow but Geno held him back. He looked around him and saw the camera coming their way but Geno moved to block them, understanding like he always did so easily even without a full connection. "For luck." Geno told him with the dopey smile that he loved so much and he leaned up on the edge of his skates to meet his lips. "We win now." Geno told him. Sid gave a hard nod and tapped their helmets together. "We win."

The Ducks were playing rough and desperate, taking every opportunity to slam and shove them around. They got particularly aggressive when Sid was one the ice. He could feel Geno getting restless on the bench and hear him thinking of all the ways he could take them out. Sid knew he wouldn't do anything. They had already given the guys a talk about staying out of the box. They just had to endure it. They were almost through the third, seven minutes left and the score was two to three in favor of the Ducks. Tanger shot the puck to Beau who weaved it into the Ducks zone and swiped it to Sid. He faked a pass and pulled it around the goal and scooped it into the abandoned half of the net when the butt of a stick whacked him in the lower jaw and he went down hard as the goal horn went off. His helmet was knocked off and he bit his lip hard enough to open it but his head felt mostly fine. Definitely not his worst hit. He took a second to evaluate himself until he was positive he was fine and forced himself up. He could feel Geno probing him, trying to push into his mind and felt the instant relief that flooded through him when he got up without the refs help and skated over to the bench. Geno gripped his shoulders giving him a quick once over until he was satisfied and grabbed his stick. "I kill him later. First we win." He told him and his line rushed onto the ice. Beau brought his helmet back and the medic handed him some gauze.

He wanted off the bench. Time was ticking down and they couldn't get the puck out of their zone. There was a minute left and Genos line was back out in the power play. They surrounded the Ducks goal, moving the puck fast- passing and faking until Geno saw an opening. He caught the puck off a quick save and shot it high before Anderson had a chance to make it back into the crease. The goal horn went off and the timer ran out while the crowd stomped and slapped the boards. Sid practically fell over himself trying to get to get to Geno, surprised to see that he was already in front of him, dragging him out of the bench and hard into him. "You did it! Holy shit, G, You fucking did it!" He yelled into his ear, Genos gloved hand clamping down on his face so he could kiss him breathless until the cup was pushed onto them.

Watching Geno drink from the cup was borderline pornographic. His head was tilted back back, eyes closed, big hands grasping at the sided of the cup as champagne dribbled from the sides down his chin. He stood back next to Fleury with some ice on his slightly swollen lip and watched him, reminding himself that it wouldn't be appropriate for him to walk over to him and lick it up. The team cheered and Geno grinned as he passed it on, catching Sid's eye over the heads in the crowd. His smile changed and his eyes heated as he brought his left hand to his lips and kissed the silver band in his finger, the promise of what to come playing as a single word across his mind and gleaming in his eyes. 'Tonight'. That was all Sid needed as he laughed and kissed his own ring.

"What better this or wedding?" Tanger and Flower were having a dance off across the locker room, a rematch of the one at Sid and his wedding according to Beau. 

Sid looked guilty for a second. "This?"

He laughed. "Maybe you should marry cup." Sid squawked as he pinched his side.

"I knew I'd get you. This?" Sid looked around. "I was beginning to lose faith."

He watched as the melancholy evaporated and Sid's beaming smile was back. Geno was a little surprised, a lot surprised if he was completely honest, but 10 years was a long time. 10 years of struggling, lately to even get to the playoffs. But they'd made it. He smiled and Sid laughed. "I know." Flower pulled Sid into the dance off as a prop based on the way Flower was grinding against him as Sid turned bright red. "No touch! That mine." Geno called when the goalie's hands moved. Sid made an embarrassed noise, but his eyes were bright when he looked up at him. 

The party dragged on. He saw Tanger checking the time, obviously wanting to get home to his family. Flower was holding court in a booth talking to the rookies who'd boosted them at the end of the season. He pulled Sid away from a few of the other guys. "Need captain. Very important."

Sid knew why he was guiding him away from the crowds. "You promised. Not until we got back to the house." 

Geno nodded. "Just want kiss. Have kiss?" Sid sighed like it was some big effort but leaned up as he leaned down. "Maybe cup watch. Make it jealous." He said laughing. 

Sid's face was serious for a second before he burst out laughing. "Tell the guys bye for me. I'll meet you at home. I have to get something." He followed the quick kiss offered him as Sid darted through the crowd. 

Flower dragged Geno into a brief debate when he tried to say his goodbyes. He finally pulled himself free. "Sid waiting. Bad to keep husband waiting." 

Flower nodded. "Happy anniversary." 

He grinned. "Two days early." 

Flower waved him off. "Go." He shouted the rest of his farewells to the guys as he headed out. He didn't have to wait for an uber to pull up to the curb out of the darkness when he stepped out. 

"Congratulations." The driver offered as he shut the door. Geno mumbled thanks as he settled in for the drive. It was strange to think it had been a year since they'd come out in the most official way possible. They'd been a single point shy of playoffs. Sid had been moping for a week after. Complaining about him going back to Russia without actually complaining. He'd learned to read between the lines. It hadn't been easy with the bond as it was but both of them knew hard work was the only way to get what you wanted. They'd made it work. He'd closed off the bond as much as he dared and sent Sid over to Mario's. Sid whining the whole time as he got his shoes on. Sid came back that evening looking relaxed. A little quiet but calmer. 

They were watching some show about penguins and he shifted to the edge. "Ugh. Geno. Come back." 

He grinned at the needy whine. "I'm not going anywhere." Sid pulled on his arm and he grabbed his hand. He leaned close and unhooked Sid's chain. He took the ring off. "I call parents today. They buy tickets while talk. Never leave you again." Sid smiled and scrambled to pull his chain loose. "Not going to change mind." He laughed as Sid struggled with the latch. 

"I just want you to wear yours too." The sixteenth was the only day Sid would agree to. As they set the date he should have known what would come. Game 6 of the final. The news of their wedding hits an hour before the puck drops. The article the pens release a few minutes after confirms everything people have started asking. Yes. Their two players got married. Yes. To each other. No. this isn't a prank. The end sentence reads as a giant "oh you guys didn't see this coming?" By the end of the night he wishes the bond was full. Just so he could see if the small smile on Sid's face as the flyers finally won the cup and still weren't the biggest news of the day was as gleefully smug as it looked. The competing news seemed to take any heat away from them and they were able to finish out the summer traveling and training with out any big issues.

The lights were off when he got home. Even the porch light had been turned off and Sid never turned that off. "Sid?" He called. He walked through the bottom floor before catching the strip of dim light coming from upstairs. The door to their bedroom was cracked and the only light in the house shined dimly from it. He pushed open the door and couldn't believe what he saw. "How..." He asked as he walked in the room. 

"Don't ask." Sid was sitting on the edge of the bed, cup between his legs. He could see from the door he wasn't wearing anything but the Champion hat on his head. 

"Start without me?" 

Sid smirked. "Nope." He popped the p with a grin. "Get over here." He dropped his jacket as he shut the door. He could see Sid planning everything out. Sid looked up at him sharply as a jolt of anticipation shot through him and across the bond. 

He stumbled out of his pants Sid laughing as he crashed into him and they fell to the mattress. Sid pulled him more solidly on top of him and their laughter faded. His lips were numb and the drag of Sid against the fabric of his underwear was driving him insane. "Finally," Sid sighed. He rolled over when Sid shifted. Sid's mouth dragged down his chest while his fingers pulled him free of his boxers. 

He kicked them free as Sid smiled down at him. "See all the time."

Sid shrugged. "I didn't get to see you like this last time." 

Geno smiled. "Drunker and younger. Not miss anything." 

Sid kissed the scar on his hip. "Like you better this way anyway." He'd never get tired of Sid's mouth on him. He knew Sid had gotten that when he grinned against his thigh.

"Can I?" He slid his finger between his thighs. He blinked and nodded. "Roll over for me." He rolled feeling Sid's eyes on him. Sid kissed his shoulder. 

"Gonna make it jealous?" He looked up for a second and realized Sid had moved them so he was inches away from the cup. 

Sid sighed against his neck. "Yeah. Babe." He hadn't said anything but the jumble of thoughts must have been enough. Each kiss down his spine built in the back of his head. That place where the bond should be. He whimpered into his arm when Sid bit high on his thigh before pulling on his hips. "Breathe for me babe." He let out a shaky breath. Sid just rubbed at his sides until he was satisfied he wasn't going to hyperventilate. "You sure?" he nodded into the mattress. It was rare that he was in the mood to be fucked. Almost never overlapping with Sid wanting to do the fucking. He wasn't going to let the opportunity pass. He scrambled for purchase when Sid's tongue flicked over his hole. Sid just grabbed his hips and licked harder. He moaned into the sheets gripping the corner of the mattress like it could keep him from losing himself. Sid's fingers slid in stretching him as his tongue soothed the edge of burn. He sucked in hot gasps mouth dragging across the sheets as Sid stopped, fingers still in him. Sid ran a soothing hand up his back. "I got you." He knew that. Knew that every time, but it took that reminder for him to calm the nervous energy that had built. Sid spread his fingers and he shuddered sighing into the sheets. "Ready?" He nodded the bond blown open as he sent everything he was feeling at Sid. "You won that. You did. For us. For me. So proud. To be yours. That you're mine. So proud." Sid mumbled against his back as he moved in him. Each thrust sending them both careening over the edge. Sid never did last long, the doubled affect of the bond too much for any kind of endurance. "Oh." Sid pumped into him as he came. "Come on babe. Your turn.” He'd never been more grateful for Sid's mind than he was then as Sid flipped him over drove three fingers deep into him and sucked him down in fluid movement. He came shouting Sid's name. 

Sid grinned at him from where he was laying in his lap cheek resting on his hip. "I'd be jealous." He laughed throat protesting as he did. "Come here." Sid crawled up him and settled along his side. He waved faintly at the blankets shoved to the floor before the past month and the alcohol hit him and he fell asleep, Sid just seconds ahead of him.

Geno woke up in the morning and the cup was gone. There was a blanket over them and Sid looked even more debauched in the early morning light. He rubbed his thumb over his cheek. Sid sighed and hugged him deeper. "Go back to sleep. We won the cup. There's nothing else to do." He sent an image to Sid of what he'd been thinking of doing and Sid cracked an eye to look at him. "Later. Just a few more hours. Then a lot of that." 

He nodded glad they'd gotten this far. "Anything for you." Sid smiled against his chest. He could imagine the bubble of content Sid would be projecting and it wasn't hard to fall back to sleep.


End file.
